FEBRUARY 2001

Saturday, February 3

As I mentioned in the September 2000 travel update, we volunteered for the 2001 New Horizons Owner's Group Rally Committee (well, actually, I volunteered us). Our (my) job was to do the registration forms.

Having designed them, getting them copied, and gathering all the supplies, we had a "stuff and stamp the envelopes" party consisting of Earl, me, and Bill and Gisela Pollock who also own a New Horizons fifth wheel. Gisela and I folded the forms and put the mailing labels and return address labels on the envelopes; the guys stuffed the forms into the envelopes and put the stamps on. It was an efficient production line and we had all 400+ forms done in about two hours. Afterward, we all went to dinner at Bella Luna, an Italian restaurant in Litchfield Park. We had a really good time and got a chance to get better acquainted with the Pollocks. Thanks for helping!

Monday, February 5

We went to dinner at Lilly's (the Mexican food restaurant in Glendale that we like) with John and Deanne Cooper and Buck and Phyllis Draughn. After dinner, we went back to the Draughn's to play Mexican Train dominoes and have dessert.

Thursday, February 8

We got up early, had breakfast, and headed into Glendale where Earl had a chest x-ray (part of his annual physical) and I had some blood drawn for three different blood tests to see if I have some of the same factors than my mother has that would/could lead to "thick blood" and, therefore, an increased risk of blood clots. Hopefully, I'll get the results before we leave Phoenix at the end of this month. Afterward, we went to visit Mom and all three of us went to lunch at Takamatsu's, a Japanese and Koren restaurant.

Saturday, February 9

We took a trip out to Camping World in Mesa to pick up supplies for the fifth wheel. Wish they'd put a Camping World on the west side of the Valley since Mesa is quite a long way from where we're staying. But I don't suppose they ever will since the vast majority of RVers who stay here during the winter stay in Mesa, Tempe, and Apache Junction. There is another RV supply store in Glendale, Isley's, and we usually go there; however, they don't have nearly the amount of "stuff" that Camping World does, so we usually end up making the trip to Mesa at least once while we're in Phoenix.

Sunday, February 10

Bill and Gisela Pollock invited us over for dinner at their place -- Pleasant Harbor RV Resort at Lake Pleasant. We had a great visit and they prepared a wonderful dinner for us. We even played Mexican Train dominoes, teaching them our version, until it got too cold to play outside.

Tuesday, February 13

Earl took the truck to Freightliner so we could have a couple of recall items taken care of. We've been trying to get in since we got here in November, but Freightliner Phoenix didn't get the part in until just recently. I picked Earl up in the rental car which we had gotten because the last time Earl had taken the truck into the Freightliner dealer here, he waited about eight hours for them to do something which took maybe an hour -- once they got to it.

Wednesday, February 14

We went to dinner at Carraba's, an Italian restaurant in Glendale, with a bunch of Earl's high school classmates and their spouses: Buck and Phyllis Draughn, John and Deanne Cooper, Joe and Kay Devita, and Dick and Marie Oren. Dick and Marie are down here from Seattle visiting.

Friday, February 16

Had dinner at Joe and Kay Devita's house with the same group of people who were at Carraba's plus Judee and Bill Bird, also down here visiting from Seattle (Judee is one of Earl's high school classmates). Kay fixed a wonderful dinner for all of us.

Tuesday, February 20

We picked up Mom and drove to Scottsdale where we had lunch at Malee's On Main with Bill and Gisela Pollock. Malee's is a wonderful Thai restaurant. After lunch we walked around Main street looking into some of the shops which sell mostly paintings and sculptures and other expensive doodads. We did find a hat shop, so Earl bought himself a new, felt hat.

Wednesday, February 21

We had dinner at John & Deanne Cooper's house along with the rest of the Bothel "Class of '57" who either live here or are visiting from Seattle. Deanne prepared a great Italian dinner.

Monday, February 26

Earl had a doctor's appointment this morning and then he took the truck by Mountain Master to have some additional headlights installed (they are located in the bumper below the regular headlights). Earl dropped me off at Mom's house before he went to the doctor so that we could spend some time together before we leave on Thursday.

Tuesday, February 27

We went out to dinner with Buck and Phyllis at Murphy's of Glendale, a German restaurant. None of us had eaten there before, but we'd heard good reports, which weren't exaggerated...we had some wonderful German food!

Wednesday, February 28

We spent the day getting stuff ready for our departure tomorrow. We had to clean off a lot of the things that were outside before storing them because of the red dirt around here which turns to mud when it rains, which it's been doing off and on since last night. We have everything done that can be done ahead of time. All that's left to do is to hook up the truck, unhook the electricity, put in the slides, unchock the wheels, and leave.